Bilateral Agreement, Not NATO-Wide
Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, has stressed that the security framework for Greenland negotiated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte must be presented to all allies before it can move forward. Speaking to Euronews at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Albares clarified that the deal struck with US President Donald Trump is a bilateral arrangement, not a NATO decision.
“This is a bilateral arrangement, not NATO. It is the Secretary General of NATO talking to one of the allies,” Albares said. He added that allied foreign ministers currently only know about the public announcement, and the matter will be reviewed by NATO’s council (Euronews).
Greenland’s Sovereignty Must Be Respected
Trump’s announcement suggested the deal would allow the US to expand its military presence in Greenland and increase bases in the Arctic amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Albares emphasized that the decision about Greenland’s future belongs to its people and Denmark.
“The people have said very clearly that they want to remain part of Denmark,” he told Euronews. Danish authorities have consistently rejected any transfer of sovereignty, and polls show most Greenlanders do not wish to be part of the US. Earlier threats from Trump included potential tariffs on eight European countries to pressure them into agreeing to a “complete and total sale” of Greenland (Euronews).
Europe Must Strengthen Its Defence
Albares also criticized the US approach as unacceptable and highlighted that the EU would not negotiate under coercion. He called for Europe to reinforce its security and deterrence capabilities, advocating for a gradual move toward a unified European army.
“If we want to continue being a land of peace where no one can impose war or use coercion—whether by force or trade—we need to have deterrence in our hands,” Albares told Euronews. He urged the EU to build a coalition of willing states, integrate defence industries, and eventually establish a European army to safeguard peace and sovereignty (Euronews).
